I heart food

I love food. I mean, I really really love food. I wake up thinking of food. And I usually good to bed thinking about food. I have a huge appetite. I often joke I can eat like a linebacker, thanks to my mom feeding me like my four very large brothers. I'm not a fan of fish. We didn't eat much growing up, so I never developed a taste for it. As an adult I've been trying to expand my palette and add fish to my diet, but it's a slow (all too fishy) process for me.

Random facts about me and food:

I don't cook much. Mike does all the cooking, while I clean. I'm particular about cleanliness and Mike is a messy cook. I follow behind him and clean up the disaster zone. It works for us.

Avocados: I can it two or three avocados (whole) in a single sitting. When i was little, my mom would cut open an avocado; skillfully pull the pit out and peel it; sprinkle it was salt; and eat the entire fruit on her own. As I got a little older, she'd share. I was hooked.

I don't do seafood. Growing up we didn't eat a lot of seafood. Fresh fish is expensive and with a family of eight and one income, there wasn't a of of room in the budget for fish. I've been trying to add more fish into my (our) diet, which is tough because I don't like the real strong fishy smelling fish. I need to get over that.

Chile con carne: Good, authentic Mexican food is my downfall. I can eat tamales, beans, flautas, carnitas, and chorizo until the cows come home, but my all time favorite is chile con carne. Since moving to Arizona, I make and serve chile con carne (along with fresh tortillas, beans and rice) on Christmas Eve. I was entrusted with a recipe for chile con carne that's been in Mike's family since the early '30s when they arrived in Southern Arizona.

I don't drink much. Occasionally I'll have a glass of wine, but what I really like is hard cider. When I'm in Europe, there are lots of options for cider and they even sell it on tap. It's a little sweeter then beer but not syrupy sweet. It's so refreshing. Brie: It wasn't until I was pregnant with Cooper that I fell in love with brie. I could eat an entire wheel of brie and I did. I craved it for months and loved how it melted in my mouth.

Bacon wrapped dates: There is a tapas place in Las Vegas, about five minutes from our old house, that has the best bacon wrapped dated. They melt in your mouth. Every, single time we're back in Vegas we stop by and get an order, or two.Every November, I look forward to the arrival of Peppermint Joe-Joes at Trader Joe's. They are the most delicious cookies. Ever. They're like Oreos, but made for Trader Joe's and are filled with a creamy, peppermint filling. My mouth waters thinking about them.

When I get upset, I want nothing more than a chili cheese dog on a pretzel bun from Wienerschnitzel. There were Wienerschnitzel's all over Southern California and I used to eat there as a kid. Now I find myself craving Wienerschnitzel when I'm frustrated and depressed.

Ice cream is Denmark is heavenly. It's fresh and creamy. Even in January, I will buy a cone and eat it as I walk back to my hotel in the mind numbing cold weather. Hazelnut is my absolute favorite flavor.

I bake. Cookies. Bread. Cakes. Since I've started eating better, I don't bake any more. It's not good for my diet and since I have no self control, I just avoid it.

Asparagus and brussel sprouts make me happy. I've always loved them. My mom used to tell me I was her best kid because I'd eat any vegetable she put in front of me. I still will.